European Boxing News: Asikainen, Sturm, Simon, Kessler

By Per Ake Persson

P3 Boxing in Finland stages its first show of the season September 4 in Helsinki. Headlining is former European middle champ Amin Asikainen, who take on Argentinian veteran Francisco Antonio Mora.

Asikainen, 27-3, is campagning at super middle and is at a stage in his career where he can´t afford any slipups. In other action, Russian junior welter Denis Shafikov takes on Swedish-based Tanzanian Peter Semo and Edis Tatli, also at junior welter is Spanish veteran Rudy Encarnacion.

IBF Intercontinental middle champ Benjamin Simon, 18-1, will be in the chief support bout to Felix Sturm vs Giovanni Lorenzo September 4 in Cologne.

The WBA super champ has been out of the ring for a over year and invested a lot of money in reconstructing an old gym and to buy his way out of the contract with Universum. When the promised the deal with network RTL didn´t come through Sturm was offered – and accepted – a deal with Arena Box Promotion and Sat 1.

It will be Belgian veteran Ismail Abdoul that takes on Sauerland´s Bosnian cruiser Enad Licina on Saturday in Erfurt. Licina lost last time out to stablemate Yoan Pablo Hernandez in an internal eliminator.

Sauerland´s deal with Danish network TV2 doesn´t bring in much money but it does keep rivals – primarily Anders Vester – on the Danish market away from a similar deal.

Sauerland has a steady base in Herning and will promote the next TV2 event November 20. During 2011 there will another five shows, February 12, April 2, May 21, September 3 and October 29.

The financially much more expensive – and sportingly attractive – Kessler vs Green Super Six fight September 25 will be televised live via pay per view on Viasat. The November 20 show will be headlined by middleweight Patrick Nielsen and lightweight Kim Poulsen.